Method of inserting inserts in rubber heels



R. I HILL.

METHOD OF INSERTING INSERTS IN.RUBBER HEELS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 51:918.

1,329,524. Patented Feb. 3,1920.

\ /M W a M RAYMOND I. HILL, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HILL RUBBER HEEL COMPANY,

OF ELYRIA, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD OF INSERTING INSERTS IN RUBBER HEELS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 5, 1918. Serial No. 238,260.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND I. HILL, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods of Inserting Inserts in Rubber Heels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a method of inserting inserts of cork and the like in rubber. heels adapted to be attached to shoe heels.

It is customary to provide rubber heels with inserts of cork or other material, the object of which is generally to minimize slipping while the wearer of the heel places his heel on the pavement, and it has been the custom heretofore to provide the inserts in the rubber heels by inserting them with the uncured rubber in the heel forming molds and to vulcanize the heels with the inserts in them.

The process wherein the inserts are placed in the rubber before vulcanization is unsatisfactory for the reason that it is impossible,

' or at least impracticable to hold the inserts in their proper positions, but on the. other hand, the inserts have a tendency to float, so to speak, or to shift in the soft rubber, with the result that it is often the case that when I the heels have been completed the inserts are found to be improperly positioned, and this results in considerable loss or waste.

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the difiiculty above mentioned, and to provide a method by which inserts of cork and the like can. be properly and effectively placed in the rubber heel without any loss, due to improper positioning of the inserts, and without danger of the inserts coming out of the heel when the latter is being used.

The invention may be briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel steps of the improved method which' will be described in the specification and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view through a portion of a rubber heel mold showing the rubber in the mold and the manner in which holes for the reception of the inserts are formed in the heel during molding and during vulcanization; Fig. 2 is a planview of the heel after vulcanization, but before the insertion of the inserts; Fig. 3 is a similar vlew after the inserts have been inserted in the heel; Fig. 4 is a section substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 3; Figs. 5 to 7 show various steps in the process of inserting the. inserts in the vulcanized heel; and Fig. 8 'shows'the heel after the insert is placed therein.

In accordance with my method instead of placing the inserts with the soft uncured rubber or rubber composition in the vulcanizing mold, and vulcanizing them together, I mold the holes for the inserts in the uncured rubber. and vulcanize the heel before the inserts are applied. Fig. 1 shows a por tion of a mold wherein 10 is the upper plate, 11 the lower plate, and 12 the intermediate plate, the latter havin an opening conforming to the outline o the heel, this opening being filled with the uncured rubber which is shown at 13. The; upper plate is provided with a suitable number of downwardly extending pins 14, by whichopenings of the right size and ,depth are molded into the heel at the desired points, for the subsequent reception of the inserts. In this case two such hole molding pins are employed as it is. desired that the heel have two inserts at the rear quarter of theheel, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920. p,

After the heel is vulcanized with the holes I of roper size and location formed in it, the corii inserts are inserted in the heel in the manner illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, wherein the heel is designated 15, and the molded opening for the reception of the insert is designated 16.

To insert the cork insert in each of the molded openings 15, a piece of cork, cylindrical in shape and of the proper length is compressed, and J while compressed is driven into the hole, after which the compressing means is withdrawn allowing the cork to expand, and in doing this it tightly engages the wall of the opening and is thus "held in place, being assisted in part by insert and holds the same and of course smaller than the diameter of the opening '16. Additionally the upper part of the tube is tapered or flaring, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The lower end of the tube is inserted in the opening 16, preferably entirely to the lower end thereof, and then the cork insert, which is shown at 18, is driven through the tube 17 by a plunger 19, and in so doing it is compressed or reduced in diameter and is driven entirely to the base of the hole 16. in the hole a suitable cement is placed in the bottomthereof.

Then the tube is withdrawn from the hole, while the plunger is still pressed against the against the base of the hole, and as soon as the tube is withdrawn the cork insert expands and tightly ips the wall of the hole which receives it. Then the plunger operation is completed. The heel inserts now appear as shown in Fig. 8, the'inserts preferably projecting slightly beyond the heel, and slightly beyond the rim or ridge which is molded in the rubber around the hole 16. It then becomes necessary only to trim off the projectingends of the inserts to finish the heel, which will then appear as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The tube and plung r tute a part of an insert setting machine which is operated rapidly and which at the same time can be caused to set any desired number of inserts.

With the process abled to produce'better heels or with more effectively se Before the cork is inserted is lifted, whereupon the preferably constiabove described I am eninserts than with the old It will be understood that the term rubber I as used above and in the claims includes rubber composltlon and equivalent resilient materlal.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of inserting inserts in rubber heels which comprises molding openings in theheels for the reception of inserts, vulcanizing the heels, inserting the inserts in the openings under compression so that after being inserted they may expand-and be tightly gripped by the rubber surrounding them.

2. The method of inserting cork inserts in rubber heels which comprises molding insert openings in the heels for the reception of the inserts, vulcanizing the heels before the inserts are applied, forcing the inserts into the openings under compression, and removing the compressing means after the inserts are in place whereby'they will expand and be tightly gripped by the rubber.

3. The method of inserting a cork insert in a rubber heel having a opening which comprises inserting a hollow compressor in the opening, forcing the insert through the compressor into the opening, and withdrawing thecompressor.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

molded insert 

